Understand Your Cybersecurity Threats Landscape

Cyber security is the practice of defending computers, servers, mobile devices, electronic systems, networks, and data from malicious attacks. It's also known as information technology security or electronic information security. The term applies in a variety of contexts, from business to mobile computing, and can be divided into a few common categories.

·?????????Network security?is the practice of securing a computer network from intruders, whether targeted attackers or opportunistic malware.

·?????????Application security?focuses on keeping software and devices free of threats. A compromised application could provide access to the data its designed to protect. Successful security begins in the design stage, well before a program or device is deployed.

·?????????Information security?protects the integrity and privacy of data, both in storage and in transit.

·?????????Operational security?includes the processes and decisions for handling and protecting data assets. The permissions users have when accessing a network and the procedures that determine how and where data may be stored or shared all fall under this umbrella.

·?????????Disaster recovery and business continuity?define how an organization responds to a cyber-security incident or any other event that causes the loss of operations or data. Disaster recovery policies dictate how the organization restores its operations and information to return to the same operating capacity as before the event. Business continuity is the plan the organization falls back on while trying to operate without certain resources.

·?????????End-user education?addresses the most unpredictable cyber-security factor: people. Anyone can accidentally introduce a virus to an otherwise secure system by failing to follow good security practices. Teaching users to delete suspicious email attachments, not plug in unidentified USB drives, and various other important lessons is vital for the security of any organization.

The global cyber threat continues to evolve at a rapid pace, with a rising number of data breaches each year. A report by?RiskBased Security?revealed that a shocking 7.9 billion records have been exposed by data breaches in the first nine months of 2019 alone. This figure is more than double (112%) the number of records exposed in the same period in 2018.

Medical services, retailers and public entities experienced the most breaches, with malicious criminals responsible for most incidents. Some of these sectors are more appealing to cybercriminals because they collect financial and medical data, but all businesses that use networks can be targeted for customer data, corporate espionage, or customer attacks.

With the scale of the cyber threat set to continue to rise, the?International Data Corporation?predicts that worldwide spending on cyber-security solutions will reach a massive $133.7 billion by 2022. Governments across the globe have responded to the rising cyber threat with guidance to help organizations implement effective cyber-security practices.

In the U.S., the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has created a?Cyber Security Framework. To combat the proliferation of malicious code and aid in early detection, the framework recommends continuous, real-time monitoring of all electronic resources.

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Overview of the Types of Cyber Security

Network Security

This type of security refers to the protection of your computer network from attacks inside and outside of the network. It employs numerous different techniques to prevent malicious software or other data breaches from occurring. Network security uses many different protocols to block attacks but allows authorized user access to the secure network.

One of the most important layers to secure your?network is a firewall, which acts as a protective barrier between your network and external, untrusted network connections. A firewall can block and allow traffic to a network based on security settings.

Since phishing attacks are the most common form of cyberattack, email security is the most important factor in creating a secure network. Email security might consist of a program designed to scan incoming and outgoing messages to monitor for potential phishing attacks.

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Application Security

This is the process of protecting sensitive information at the app-level. Most of these security measures should be implemented before the application is deployed. Application security might involve tactics like requiring a strong password from the user.

It might also include features such as two-step authentication, security questions, and other protective measures to ensure a user is who they say they are.

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Cloud Security

Most of our online lives are saved on the cloud. To be honest, it's been a long time since I've saved anything to my own hard drive. For storage, most individuals use online services like Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, and Apple iCloud. Because of the large amounts of data kept on these platforms, it is critical that they always stay safe.

Business services stored in a data center can also be included in cloud security. Consider the end-user interface, data storage security, backup procedures, and human mistake that exposes the network when ensuring suitable cloud security measures are in place.

Operational Security

The risk management procedure for all internal cybersecurity is referred to as this word. This sort of management frequently employs several risk management officers to ensure that if a user's data is hacked, there is a backup plan in place. Employees must be taught on the best practices for keeping personal and commercial information secure as part of operational security.

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Cyber Security Threats on Enterprises and how to face them?

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Malware

Malware is short for harmful software, and it comes in a variety of forms that can harm your computer or your organization. You've probably heard of trojans, worms, and viruses. These words describe the process by which malware infects your computer.

• Worm?– This type of malware is a singular piece of software that reproduces and spreads from computer to computer.
• Trojan?– This type of malicious code does not reproduce, but it is disguised as a type of program the user would normally install. Once the user clicks on the fake executable file, the program is implanted into the hard drive and causes damage from there.
• Virus?– This type of malware attack uses a standalone software program as its vehicle. The virus implants a piece of malicious code into the program and forces it to take malicious actions against the user’s computer system.
• Spyware– This type of cyber threat spies on an unsuspecting user and gathers information from their computer systems without them knowing. Sometimes spyware will log your keystrokes or monitor the information you send and receive online.

Being cautious when visiting the internet is the greatest approach to avoid malware attacks on your computer system. Never trust a website, popup, or email that looks suspicious. You should also install and keep anti-malware software up to date.

SQL Injection

Malware is short for malicious software, and there are many different types that can affect your computer system. You might have heard the terms trojan, worm, and virus. These terms explain how malware infects your computer.

• Worm?– This type of malware is a singular piece of software that reproduces and spreads from computer to computer.
• Trojan?– This type of malicious code does not reproduce, but it is disguised as a type of program the user would normally install. Once the user clicks on the fake executable file, the program is implanted into the hard drive and causes damage from there.
• Virus?– This type of malware attack uses a standalone software program as its vehicle. The virus implants a piece of malicious code into the program and forces it to take malicious actions against the user’s computer system.
• Spyware– This type of cyber threat spies on an unsuspecting user and gathers information from their computer systems without them knowing. Sometimes spyware will log your keystrokes or monitor the information you send and receive online.

The best way to prevent malware attacks on your computer system is to be diligent when surfing the internet. Never click on any suspicious website, popup, or email. You should also install anti-malware software and keep it up to date.

Man-in-the-Middle Attack

A man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack is executed by a program or threat being placed between the victim and the intended entity the victim is trying to access.

For example, if a user is trying to login to their Google Drive for Business account and a MITM attack program is placed in between, then the user will accidentally type their Google credentials into the malicious program. The malicious program will then gain access to their account.

One simple way to prevent these attacks is to make sure that every website you visit starts with HTTPS. The ‘S’ is the most important character because it indicates the website is secure. Another preventative technique is to never connect to public WiFi routers.

Since they don’t require a security key for logging in, many attackers can intercept your personal information.

Drive-By Downloads

This is one of the most dangerous attacks because it is often not due to any user error or input. These attacks can happen without the user knowing or clicking on anything suspicious.

A drive-by download is usually accidentally picked up from a webpage. The user visits the webpage, and a program is implanted in their system without them even knowing.

The best way to prevent this attack is to install anti-virus software that can detect these programs before they are downloaded to the user’s computer.

The most popular types of anti-virus programs will identify the threat and quarantine it before it does any damage.

Password Attack

The most common type of security that every user employs is a password. We use them to log in to our computers, phones, and music devices.

One common type of password attack is to use social engineering to hack into a user’s account. This could be sending a phishing email, monitoring social media accounts, and even simply looking over your shoulder as you type.

The best way to prevent a password attack is to maintain strong passwords and change them often. Your passwords should include special characters, numbers, and lower- and upper-case letters.

You should never have the same password for more than one account.

Phishing Attacks

Did you know that there were around 146,994 recorded phishing attacks in the first half of 2020?

Most of these attacks are carried out by sending a huge number of emails to various users, suggesting that they click a false link or supply personal information. A phishing email may appear to be a legitimate and trustworthy software product, such as Office 365 or Apple. Frequently, the sender will ask you to click a link and type in your password, which they will steal and exploit to gain access to your accounts.

The easiest approach to avoid phishing attacks is to keep a tight eye on your emails and look at the sender's email address before clicking on anything. It's most likely a scam email if it looks slightly different than a usual email address, such as with a lot of letters after it.

Hovering your mouse over the link will take you to the destination's website. Installing an anti-phishing email security program?that scans incoming emails for viruses, harmful code, and suspicious links is a good idea.

Denial-of-Service Attacks

A denial-of-service (DoS) attack is a type of cyberattack that targets a company or big computer systems.

These cyber-attacks work by flooding a network or data center with a high volume of traffic in order to slow down their systems and prevent them from providing normal services to genuine customers. Once the system is rendered inoperable, a cyber attacker may resort to alternative means of obtaining sensitive data. Implementing various forms of network security protocols is the best method to prevent these assaults. Firewalls, VPNs, content filters, email scanning systems, and other load-balancing mechanisms are examples of this. To prevent unauthorized access to the servers, you should try to reduce as much human error as feasible.

6 Warning Signs That Your Enterprise Needs Cyber Security Help from United Delta

Here are the telltale signs that your organization needs to step up its cybersecurity game through United Delta

1.???Your data is extremely sensitive

At United Delta we know that one of the biggest lures for cybercriminals is the desire to get their hands on specialized, sensitive data they can hold for ransom, put up for resale or simply repurpose to steal identities.

Therefore, any systems that hold personal data, proprietary information, sensitive financial account data or other personally identifiable information (PII)—including HIPAA data—need to have their controls sufficiently tested to withstand attempts of unauthorized access.

2.???You have rigid compliance requirements

Reaching and maintaining compliance can be difficult, especially with standards from the?Payment Card Industry?(PCI), Department of Defense (DoD) and other federal entities. If your business touches any of these standards, you not only need to know how your current security fairs against them, but also what your gaps are and how to prioritize the next steps.

For many compliance requirements, the?costs of non-compliance are more than the costs of the implementation—and that’s not including the impact on your organization’s reputation. However, choosing to partner with a cybersecurity testing company can help your organization ensure that it is meeting its compliance requirements and staying ahead of developments in related security standards.

3.???Your staff is too busy or not experienced enough to handle threats alone

Cyberthreats are constantly evolving, making it time-consuming to maintain, monitor and patch IT infrastructure and the cybersecurity products that secure it.

Add on the need to keep up with the latest best practices, releases and tools, and your internal staff has even less time to focus on strategic efforts. These conflicting priorities can leave knowledge gaps within a security team, so the ongoing support and breadth of experience from a cybersecurity testing company can be of great benefit.

4.???You are putting new systems in place or growing your footprint

The addition of systems or infrastructure can introduce new access vectors and vulnerabilities to your cybersecurity defenses or change your attack surface, rendering your existing security controls and tools insufficient.

This sign has?only become more prevalent as businesses digitize key internal processes and systems, making security testing during the design and implementation stage essential. In other words, it is much easier and cheaper to incorporate security best practices during development, rather than going back and integrating them after go-live.

5.???You or your customers have been phished

Phishing can be a one-off event, but it can also be the start of a more coordinated, complex cyberthreat.

Proactively protect you and your customers from malware, data theft and network intrusion with training, security testing and proactive security products, such as intrusion detection systems, malware detection, and firewalls. These products scan your incoming network traffic and block the digital signatures that are often linked to malicious activity or signal that a message carries an exploit that can enable unauthorized access into your network.

Unfortunately, these signatures, attack methods, and the vulnerabilities that they exploit evolve quickly, which makes it even more vital to have a dedicated partner that can identify gaps in your security controls and validate your defenses with penetration testing.

6.???You detect unusual network or system activity

Some cybercriminals can?hide within infrastructure for weeks, or even months, as they attempt to gain access to sensitive information.

However, knowing which tools and techniques to employ without negatively impacting your business operations can be difficult. A cybersecurity testing company can help to evaluate the strengths of your current security controls and tools and help to overcome any gaps. That way, once malicious traffic is identified, your security team knows how to contain and triage unusual activity before any negative impacts.

United Delta’s Approach in Cyber Security Implementations

We approach your IT infrastructure with a security-first mindset, ensuring that your company is protected from cyber-attacks and security flaws. In the unfortunate event of an attack, our MSP model tightens up defense and allows for speedy recovery, giving you a competitive advantage. We put an emphasis on quality, and we believe in long-term solutions that are tailored to your specific requirements. In the areas of DevOps, Database Management, Application Servers, Fusion Middleware, and Operating Systems, we provide MSP solutions. Our futuristic models emphasize XLAs in addition to traditional SLAs to provide security, scalability, and cost benefits.